


"The Omega Hiding in Plain Sight" Or  “The Bonds that Tie Us to the Past

by UnknownMusing



Series: "A Strand of Fate" [1]
Category: Black Hawk Down (2001), Death Stranding (Video Games)
Genre: Alpha Higgs Monaghan, Alpha Kurt Schmid, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/M, Kits ( Females) and Pups ( Males), M/M, Monsters in the form of the BT's, Mpreg, Omega Clifford Unger, Omega Sam Porter Bridges, Past Sexual Abuse, Reference to World War 1 and 2, Some bits from the game, Vulnerable Clifford Unger, Will have a happy ending of course
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:57:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22174858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownMusing/pseuds/UnknownMusing
Summary: "Once there was an explosion....A bang which gave birth to time and space. A bang which set the planet spinning in that space. Once there was an explosion....A bang which gave rise to life as we know it. And then came the next explosion."They say Fate changes everything. For Sam Porter Bridges he didn't expect it to lead him down a path that would reveal secrets of his Past he did not know  about.
Relationships: Kurt Schmid/Clifford Unger, Sam Porter Bridges/Higgs Monaghan, past Clifford Unger/ Bridget Strand, past Clifford Unger/Kurt Schmid
Series: "A Strand of Fate" [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1596181
Comments: 2
Kudos: 48





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hanni Bunny Lecter (carrionofmywaywardson)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrionofmywaywardson/gifts), [VintageFloof](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VintageFloof/gifts), [Hannibalsimago](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hannibalsimago/gifts), [Revere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Revere/gifts), [Emergencytrap](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emergencytrap/gifts), [murasaki69](https://archiveofourown.org/users/murasaki69/gifts), [purplesocrates](https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplesocrates/gifts), [APastandFutureNerd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/APastandFutureNerd/gifts), [itsbeautiful](https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsbeautiful/gifts).

** Sam Porter Bridge's P.O.V: **

  


"_Once there was an explosion....A bang which gave birth to time and space. A bang which set the planet spinning in that space. Once there was an explosion....A bang which gave rise to life as we know it. And then came the next explosion."_

The humans that survived the explosion remember it with disdain and hatred, due to the fact subtle differences soon after it passed began to show in the genetic structure of Humans.

Our DNA started to change, so Government scientists labelled the new changes _Alpha; Beta_ or _Omega_ and began starting experiments on the ones who became Alpha or Omega.

The Government Scientists noted the _Omega_ would go into regular periods of during a certain time or even in the close proximity of an Alpha, while slick would form to accommodate for the _Alpha_ and there was an _Unblemished Crest_ on the back of their neck.

The _Alpha_ was the opposite to this; a Knot to physically sate an _Omega's heat_; would go into Ruts at certain times or even in the proximity of an Omega in Heat even, while their_ Crest_ was located on their neck. This would be bitten by _Omega_ during the _Mating Process_ as it was called by the Government Scientists.

_Scent_ was another thing the Government scientists noticed - that_ Alpha's_ would have strong scents designed to call an _Omega_ to them or calm them when they were stressed or agitated, while _Omega's_ were sweet-smelling designed to show an Alpha that could be good at caring and nurturing, while providing a good litter of_ Kits_ (females) or _Pups_ (males) or mixture of both for their _Mate._

It makes me sick even thinking about the _Omegas_ that just allowed themselves to be used for the_ Government's Breeding Programme_ \- G.B.P - so that the Human Population could get back to what it was before the _"Explosion"_ which resulted in one disappearing if you were overheard mentioning it in public.

What do I do? I'm just a_ Porter_ \- transporting goods; medicine and other stuff and thankfully not the bodies heading to the Incinerator - many of them turning out to be young _Omega's_ who hadn't managed to cope with the Government's strict Breeding Programme rules.

I'm not like other _Omega's,_ even though I am once and yet, the thing about me was I produced no Scent to attract an _Alpha _and could not give an _Alpha_ what they wanted most - a litter of _Pups_ or _Kits _or even a mixture of both as I said before - due to being diagnosed with a chiral allergy called _DOOMS _and the fact I'm also what people called a _Repatraite._

One that could travel back from what aptly named “_the Seam”_ – a place between the world of the living and the _Beach _– upon _Death._ That was what I hear though, having never experienced myself.

Who knew though that…. _Fate_ had decided to lead me down a path that would change my life forever.

  


* * *

  



	2. Chapter 2

The throb of the engine beneath me, while I drive through the harsh landscape of what had once been the United States, changed due to cataclysmic event that was recorded by _Government Scientists _as _Death Stranding. _

The problem was this event it created Predators called _Beached Things_ (or BT’s) that originated from the _Beach_ – a land to be a link to the afterlife – to begin roaming the Earth. Explosions called _Voidouts_ happened when they usually consumed the dead by _Necrosis._ There was also _Time-fall_ that the _BT’s _produced and this causes everything to rapidly age and deteriorate whatever it hit.

Increasing the throttle of the engine, the landscape of flat plains begins to change into rugged mountain-scapes with boulders and cliff-faces then bring the bike to stop, suddenly sensing something isn’t right.

It is birds – thousands of them – starting to fly overhead, indicates what is coming as the first droplet of _Time-fall_ lands on my hair with faint hiss turning it slightly white, while I pull up my hood of my _Chiral Porter Uniform_ up then starting the engine again, drive quickly.

Being in “_Time-fall”_ was considered dangerous for any _Alpha; Beta_ or _Omega,_ but mostly Omega’s as it seemed BT’s would go for them more than they would an _Alpha_ or _Beta. _Increasing the throttle more, I weave the bike up the rugged mountain-scape until suddenly I have to skid the bike to a halt on what turns out to be a precipe of a cliff-face.

There is chasm down below, while turning the bike around head back only to come to halt when suddenly the birds flying overhead begin to fall out the sky hitting the ground close to me with soft thud and sense it immediately – a_ BT_ has appeared – as I immediately rev the engine hard away from a footprint slamming down hard into the ground creating a black puddles as it starts to chase after me.

Weaving in and out of the boulders embedded in the ground, until increasing the throttle until coming back to the ledge where knowing I have no choice I use the bike to jump across the chasm, feeling slight shudder from the impact on the landing on the other side as the displeased howl of the _BT_ fades into silence.

I keep on driving, when suddenly out of nowhere a figure wearing a black uniform standing in rain with umbrella in their hands causes me to swerve uncontrollably to avoid and lose control of controlling the bike as I find myself falling off it.

* * *

Fluttering my eyes open, I immediately groan heavily and get up, just in time to see the bike tipping over a precipe causing me to quickly get up cursing heavily when it falls over the edge. Sighing heavily, I begin to collect the packages that had fallen off, when I had swerved to avoid the person – whoever they had been.

After collecting the cargo, I quickly begin to look for cave or something to get out of the “_Time-fall” _and starting to climb up or down soon spot a cave, which will do. Heading inside, I place the cargo down on the ground and after, sliding of my uniform slightly to dry myself, start to check to make sure everything is alright than the photo – one I always kept-ed with me of…people from my _Past_ flutters down onto the ground.

I walk over to it, bending down to pick it up when suddenly the airs on the back of my arm start to stand on edge along with _Unblemished Crest_ starting to tingle heavily as I feel my skin starting to turn into the rash that formed due to my _Chiral Allergy. _

It starts to move around me, creating large handprints in its wake as every step it makes causes plants to form and wither, until disappearing then going to pick up feel a hand immediately grab my arm making me look to see it is the strange person – a female and an _Alpha _by her strange _Scent_ – as she quietly “_Shh”_ me, indicating by her pointing finger that the BT was still around.

The ink-like handprints forming on the cave wall, along with guttural snarls as it starts to travel above both our heads and back down again close to the cargo knocking it over slightly, while quickly getting up allow myself to led back by the hand holding my wrist now.

It comes closer, startling a poor stag that been sheltering like me in the cave until a large handprint or footprint appears in front of myself and this strange female Alpha, while suddenly realise BT’s also reacted to you breathing and quickly cover my mouth seeing the female has already done the same.

The BT, growling in displeasure begins to move off as I hope it will just give up now searching for it’s Prey and still keeping my hand over my mouth sense the female Alpha next to me slumping down onto the ground with relieved sign as I take my hand off my mouth.

_Big mistake…. Idiot…Sam!!! It could still be around. _

The sudden slam of handprint with growl attached comes close to my head as I find myself looking at it heavily, while staying very still as it starts to clamber down the cave-wall close to my body and back onto the ground as I drag my foot away as it comes so intimately close to us both then finally disappears, while soon I stand up with still holding my wrist.

The “_Time-fall”_ has stopped. Above the sky is starting to clear of the clouds that built up and find myself just admiring the view even as a tear runs down my cheek, due to the _Chiral Allergy_ and my _Unblemished Crest_ faintly tingles slightly – less thankfully now the _BT_ was gone – then the strange female _Alpha _speaks.

_“I think they’re gone.”_

Not wanting any further contact with them, I wrench my wrist free from their grasp knowing it will leave a mark where they had gripped me – one thing I hated was being touched by anyone – hearing her saying “What the hell?” then continues “Didn’t mean to grab you so hard.”

Reaching out again, making me flinch back from her. She could of course easily soothe me with her _Alpha Pheromones,_ but instead continues to talk noticing the tear tracks that formed down my cheeks.

“Tears. A _chiral allergy_.”

Like she didn’t need to state the obvious to me. At least she hadn’t said “_And an Omega as well.” _Because probably thinking by the way I’m acting I’m more of an Alpha or Beta than states the obvious by stepping in front of me slightly.

“So, you have _DOOMS._ Like me.” Making me scoff internally at this, because no didn’t have what ever type of _DOOMS_ she had and reply with “I’ve got the extinction factor, but I think you got me beat.”

“What’s your level?” She asks, curious in getting to know more about the mysterious stranger – me – she had just met, crossing her arms over her chest and studying me – the gaze making me feel like a goddam specimen under a microscope, this was why I did not respect _Alphas _and how they treated _Omegas _then continues, when I don’t answer her at first. “You can see them right?”

Shaking my head. “No…but I can sense’em.” Walking over to where the photo of my _Past_ regrets lays hearing “Level two, then.” While looking back at her, finding myself saying to the female _Alpha _“What you doing here?”

“Trying to stay dry, same as you.” She replies to me, holding a hand out and walks up to me to look up at the skyline as birdsong fills the air. “_Time-fall’s_ let up.” Followed by turning to face me, holding out her hand to me. “My name is _Fragile.”_

Introducing herself, while at the sametime her scent – like liquorice-all-sorts and strangely, enough mint – reaches my nostrils and remember that this female _Alpha _I had definitely heard of even saying the words to her, when I turn to go back to my cargo “Yeah, I heard of ya.”

Feeling her gaze on me, with soft scoffing noise escaping her when she lowers her hand and comes up to me. The _Unblemished Crest_ on the back of my neck starts to tingle, while I do my best to ignore it – this wasn’t the time for finding a Mate or even wanting to Breed as didn’t want it at all or ever.

“That right?” She asks me, when I bend down to inspect the cargo hearing her quoting my full name “_Sam Porter Bridges”_ making me want to snarl at her as she continues to speak. “_The Man Who Delivers.” _

Turning my face slightly, I watch her pass me and head slightly deeper into cave to collect her belongings and continue to inspect the cargo – anything to distract myself from her and her scent – then walks over, placing her bag down on the ground.

_Dammit…. why can’t this female Alpha just leave me alone? By this rate, the time-limit for this cargo is going run out and I’ll get penalised for late delivery._

Then sense her coming over to me, holding out in her hands a _cryptobiote - _a tiny creature that kept-ed an _Omega’s Heat’s_ at bay and _Alpha’s Rut_ and people who been affected by the _Time-fall_ from ageing to rapidly. You could say it almost stopped the internal clock within our bodies. – and ignore continue to inspect the cargo, making sure the _Caution_ tape was securely wrapped around it and everything else was alright.

Hearing her saying “A _cryptobiote _a day keeps the _Time-fall_ away.” Followed by crunching sounds, when she eats the poor bleeding blighter alive and whole….._Disgusting…._ then after sorting my Porter uniform as she starts speaking again.

“Want to come work for me? Must be tough out here on your own…. being an _Unbonded Omega.”_

I go numb from head to toe. The fact she had guessed I was _Omega_ and yes, also _Unbonded _because she must have paid attention to my _Unblemished Crest_ on the back of my neck then respond to her.

“Yeah? I thought _Fragile Express_ had plenty of people. Plenty of….._Omega’s _for you choose from.” Making her snarl at me slightly “Plenty of traitors. Not much left of us now, save for a few honest _Beta’s_ and some _Alpha’s._ And on top of that…..”

She whips of her glove, revealing the aged skin of her hand due to being caught in a _“Time-fall” _and having enough as really needed to get on with the delivery get up, after placing the cargo in the cargo-holder on my back when suddenly she grabs my arm, covered thankfully but still it makes me bare my fangs at her with a slight hiss indicating “_Back off_…”

“I see. Will meet again, _Sam Porter Bridges._ I’ll be seeing your for now.” She says, disappearing with slight cracking noise leaving me alone standing there at the entrance of the cave wishing her scent would stop lingering in my nostrils.

* * *

It takes considerable luck and last-minute dash to reach my destination – Central Knot City – as I head to the Terminal Hut – where all Cargo was collected by the person who placed an order for it to be delivered – with one large case in one hand; a smaller case in the other and some on my back in the Cargo strap- holder than reaching the steps place both of the cases under my arms.

Nearly falling over with the combined weight and having to balance myself than step within the Terminal Hut placing the cases down on the platform as the Terminal rises up from small hole in the floor. My heart is still pounding against my rib-cage from the running I had done, while just hoping that they Smart Drugs I’m delivering will be intact.

Activating the Terminal, I wait for the storage elevator for the cargo to rise up from a square slot and getting the cargo slide it into the thing as an electronic voice says, “_Delivering Cargo.”_ Then stand back up, while it shunts the stuff down in the lower part of the Terminal Hut to face the Terminal.

A holographic image soon appears of woman wearing mechanic gear and classes, with her hair tied back – one of the Customer’s who placed the Order. Because she is a holographic image, I can’t tell whether she is _Alpha;_ _Beta_ or even…. _Omega._

“What took you so long? It’s not…like _The Legend_ to come int late.” She says, displeased due to the fact it seems I had arrived slightly later than the appropriate time that was said I had to be at this place.

“Had to wait out the storm. Lost my bike.” I reply, sounding I hope not too impatient and wanting to really just leave this place, while she comes back with. “Sounds like you’ve been through the wringer.”

_Don’t remind….me. Just please hurry up and check your cargo._

She turns slightly, looking down at the Cargo I’ve delivered as the Terminal only showed people in Holographic form for privacy reasons – so you didn’t see things behind them that might make you ask questions or even think I wouldn’t mind having that – then turns to face me to tell me about the cargo.

“Luckily, our goods are in perfect condition.”

_Luckily!!!? Jeez, I had to avoid a BT in cave and Time-fall along with meeting Fragile of Fragile Express. I hope there is nothing after this Customer, because I need a break._

“Well, you keep us waiting, but everything seems to be perfect order, so….” She says, taking a breather until continuing. “Great work, We’ll be awaiting the next delivery.” Then the Holographic transmission cuts off leaving me finally in peace, while I go to head out when suddenly an SND message comes in.

A female electronic voice speaks “_Special commission for: Sam Porter Bridges. Priority One_.” making me scoff at the fact I was being called for that kind of job and looking once more at the electronic SND symbol head out of the Terminal Hut.

The only way now, was to just face whatever the _Special Commission_ was and get over and done quickly so I could just have moments time to myself – literally even though I was Porter and got Orders all the time, I do deserve a break sometimes from it – then look at the gateway, hearing the truck arriving as I come down the steps.

Going up to spot, where the truck stops in front of me and it sinks down allowing for man to get out of the vehicle as the scent of a _Bonded Alpha_ fills my nostrils when he comes up to me introducing himself. I said before I hate _Alphas_ because of they way they treat _Omegas,_ while noticing on his chest is something I’ve only heard rumours about.

“Igor. _Bridges Corpse Disposal.”_

_Corpse disposal!!!? What the hell!!! This doesn’t make any sense. _

“Sam Porter, I presume.” Igor says, holding out his hand at the sametime sending out a slight cloud of pheromones to calm me as I turn my face away to one side keeping my hands to my side, which he notices. “Right. Not the touchy-feely type. Documents said you had some kind of phobia to touch and…. _Alphas.”_

_That information you shouldn’t know. And yeah, Alphas…probably like you, asshole._

Deciding to quickly get to the point and get this Special Commission over and done with ask him a question, wishing he would stop sending out pheromones towards to calm me – _Bonded Alphas_, even if they had _Mate _would still use their pheromones to calm an _Unbonded _one they ever met in the working field.

“Bridges Corpse Disposal? What happened?”

It seems he is in a hurry as well, making me just wonder why the hell had I been chosen for this _Special Commission_ when he says “Look, gotta get a move on. I’ll explain as we go.” Making me rethink….._probably like you, Asshole…to…. absolute bastard…._ then with tilt of his head, indicates to follow him…._ What does he think I am…. an obedient puppy!!!?...._and looks back at me, when I don’t follow at first.

“Come on.”

Waving his hand to me to get over to where he is going now, while I follow but keep a relative distance to the back of the vehicle as he says to me. “_Come and take a look.”_ Where soon see a body in a white body-bag is lying on the floor of the truck then clamber in, look down at the body. It wouldn’t be long before it set into necrosis and caused if wasn’t taken to incinerator quickly enough a “_Void-out_”.

“He’s got a date with the incinerator.” Igor tells me, making me hope that it was just ordinary death and not a violent one, while the scent I can’t tell because of the body having been wrapped up tightly in the body-bag.

“How long since he flat-lined?” I ask Igor, who replies with. “We don’t know the exact TOD, but I’d say it been upwards to forty hours.”

This information surprises me, because literally when this kind of thing happened the body was usually placed in quarantine and don’t expect Igor to come out with the worst case for Necrosis.

“He wasn’t quarantined?”

“Not sick. This was suicide. According to the sources it was because their Mate died due…. something. Records don’t state what.” He replies, making me immediately curse heavily because one thing about suicide was it caused _Necrosis_ within the body to happen much faster.

Leaning down, I place my hand over the body to check it and immediately sense the body is already in first stage of Necrosis. This was not a good sign at all, because literally if the body wasn’t hurried now to the incinerator than Central Knot City would become nothing but a large crater.

“He’s already in Stage 1 of _Necrosis.”_ I tell Igor, making the _Alpha _curse heavily at this and drag a hand down his face, followed by composing himself. “Is there Incinerator close by here.”

“Not here…. I’m afraid. But there is one to…the _North_.” He says bringing up a Holographic map to show where it is located and seeing the route he has laid out remember from past experiences how bad it was getting through there.

“That route is crawling with BT’s you do know that. Is there another way?” I tell him, making him lean close to me as I flinch heavily away from the pheromones he is producing to make me calm and docile to him.

“Damm…fucking…Beta..” He says, making me internally chuckle and give a sigh of relief he mistaken me for that and moves back. “No. This is the only route to it. And we’ll just have to do it. You got your _DOOMS_ and I have this…”

Turning my face, I look at the strange _Womb-Pod_ on his chest and he hooks it up to reveal a baby swimming in liquid along with umbilical cord, while he shakes his head slightly at connecting with the other side.

“…. Bridge Baby. This thing will help us see the BT’s if we encounter them.” Followed by the little one within the _Womb-Pod_ to immediately slam both hands against the glass startling me as it looks right at me, while causing my own empty womb within me to ache heavily – a biological response when_ Omega_ wanted to have a litter for their _Alpha_ or even Beta, but the latter being less – then Igor, gets up.

“Alright, let’s go.” He tells us, indicating to the driver in the Truck to move on and the engine roars to life as we begin to take the route shown on the Holographic map.

* * *

All Igor does is talk to me and let him, while the truck drives through the landscape passing the large city of Central Knot City into the wildness plains about how the _Government Breeding Programme_ is waste of time and even if we managed to restore the population of UCA – United Cites of America – to what it had been before the “_Big shit_” as he calls it – not my words – had literally changed everything.

He been ordinary man before all of it. Had everything he wanted – family; neighbours he could invite over to the barbeque or go to Leagues Match in the City than afterwards wakes up to discover himself he is has become what scientists called an Alpha.

“Hell, I didn’t know…. anything about being a fucking Alpha.” Igor says, making me look at the BB in the Womb-Pod and find myself saying the words, before even thinking I shouldn’t have said it.

“Igor, maybe it is best…. we change the subject. It’s not really a good idea to swear when we have a little one with us.”

“Your shitting me. This thing is…” He begins say, when suddenly a clap of thunder above makes him look up and me down at the body finding myself cursing heavily as notice now the _Necrosis _is starting to spread through the body-bag.

_“Rainbow!!!”_ I hear himself say hoarsely, indicating a heavy Time-fall that would last right up until night-time and finish in the next morning.

“Igor, we got a problem…. this guy’s about to pop any moment.” I warn him, making him look down as he sees the chirallim goo that has formed and starting to bubble on the surface of the body-bag, while immediately a screeching howl makes the sensor on his back shoot upwards starting to search around as I see the little one within the Womb-pod holder concentrating.

The driver, even though frightened and a Beta – probably with family – keeps on driving as it starts to rain heavily making both me and Igor pull our hoods up as I keep hold of the Truck’s sides for support, while the howls begin to come closer than slam into the Truck nearly dislodges myself; Igor and the body as hear him muttering “Is the BB bust or something? I can’t seem to sense the BT’s right.”

Underneath my Porter uniform my _Unblemished Crest_ is starting to tingle again, while the Driver keeps on weaving his way through the rock formations trying to reach the Incinerator only for suddenly the unexpected. A BT slams into the driver’s window, causing the Driver to lose control of the wheel and immediately everything goes wrong.

* * *

Sharp pain going through my leg, makes me weakly flutter my eyes open to reveal when my vision clears of the sight of the Truck overturned onto it’s side and the Driver….._poor man…._his legs pinned by the crushing metal, while thankfully Igor is alright along with the BB attached to his chest as I get up limping heavily feeling blood starting to plip onto the ground.

The body is completely _Necrosised_ and yet, something was different about as I notice a golden mask – chirallim – from the look of it has formed, while the Driver is continuing to scream in anguish and find myself going to move, when suddenly out of nowhere I’m harshly pulled back away from the body as it soon sinks into black pool.

The golden chirallim mask dissolving in the process. Twisting in whoever or whatever is pulling me away, I kick out connecting with a face covered in a golden mask making the person – an _Alpha_ with such an overbearing scent of Lilly of the Valley; Iron and a third thing I can’t identify – stumble backwards slightly.

“Whoo…. feisty…. little…._ Unbonded Omega_ ain’t ya? You’ll make…. a good _Mate _for me, if you behave for me..” They chuckle out, stepping closer to me as find myself trying to move away from them and immediately they disappear at the sametime Igor’s BB sensor goes off as shudders wrack through me at the fact were completely surrounded by BT’s.

I keep on dragging myself backwards, leading a blood trail from my leg keeping my mouth covered as Igor and the Driver do the same when footprints of a BT begin to slam down in front of me then it a footprint slams down into smear of my blood on the ground, causing a strange reaction to happen.

The thing immediately screeches in anguish, moving onto immediately attack the pinned Driver as I get up heavily and turn to watch in shock and horror as it drags the screaming man away, causing Igor to pull out a gun to sever the man’s life – it was better than being eaten alive by the BT.

I go to head over, when suddenly a cracking noise comes from behind and immediately I’m pulled backwards flush against a muscular chest as that sickening scent once more fills my nostrils as a gloved hand comes up to grab my throat, tightening to point my vision fades in and out slightly – due to being starved of oxygen.

My eyes flutter heavily, followed by gasping labourly until finally a shot ringing out and them grunting slightly allows me to breathe in fresh oxygen as another crack happens making me look at the overturned truck as they float down to land on top of it gently bringing the finger up in a “Shhh” motion.

“Sam….What the hell is going….on!!!!? Who the…” Igor starts to growl out, only to suddenly start to struggle as out of the black pool that has formed strange creatures begin to try and pull him down into it’s depths than managing to shake them off, suddenly turns to look upwards at the sky.

The _Alpha_ with the golden mask, turns their face to look at me and tilts it certain way indicating they are smirking followed by disappearing with another crack as immediately a fist punches into my stomach. Only to realise, when sharp pain goes through me they had hidden a knife in it and twist it deeper making me give a blood-choked cough, splattering blood into the black pool now around us.

_“Shhh…. shhh…just a little stab to remind you when we next time you belong to me, Omega.”_ They hiss out, followed by pulling it out and disappearing leaving me behind as around me things soon start to rise upwards into the air – the Truck; Igor, who is in his desperation stabbing himself repeatedly and see he doesn’t have the BB anymore as something bumps close to my feet – as something large towers way above me.

Picking the BB up, I cradle it close feeling my sensor even though I have no attachment cable for the Womb-Pod to attach me to the little one shoots upwards – spinning heavily in the air – and looking upwards see it reveals a tall creature with black tendrils like ropes spreading downwards as unearthly screech fills the air.

I find myself turning away, cradling the BB close to my chest and immediately an intense shockwave from the mass _Void-out_ happens knocking me out senseless as I remember nothing from thereafter.

* * *

The sound of little _Pup_ or_ Kit_ wailing makes my nurturing and protective instincts rise within me as I flutter my eyes open, seeing I’m naked as the day I was born – even though I couldn’t remember it – than getting up, wince heavily at the stab wound from that mysterious Alpha and spotting the wailing _Pup,_ I go over lifting it up to cradle gently to my shoulder.

It mewls heavily, making me spread my scent-less pheromones to calm it feeling at the sametime tears forming in my eyes because of a….one _Past regret_…. I shouldn’t have made then suddenly it disappears making me look at my hands with widened eyes, seeing their covered in tar of some kind.

Yet, I can still hear it. Tiny handprints begin to appear on my thigh as it clambers of my lap and begins to crawl on the sand – each step it takes creating a hand-print – than a woman’s voice singing makes me watch as woman in a long red dress and high-heels appears.

_London bridge is falling down _

_London bridge is falling down, my fair lady _

Getting up, I find myself following her – wanting to ask who she was and where was I – as she begins to walk deeper into the ocean in front of me, while I wade through the water trying to reach when suddenly a jolt happens as I’m pulled underwater heavily, finding myself sinking down to the bottom of the ocean floor.

Seeing above the water something like a whale using its fins flies above the surface, while I look around in all directions than suddenly jolt heavily again, my vision blacking out. In my mind eye’s I swear I see down my throat a child stuck within sucking its thumb until letting go of it and opening it’s mouth then remember nothing else.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

A splitting head-ache, followed by the urge to be sick heavily is the what rudely awakens and go to get up only to discover I’ve been handcuffed to a bed, while in strange oval-shaped room then stretching my other hand – not handcuffed – manage to reach a bucket close by then violently heave into it at the sametime a shadow covers me.

“Feeling better? You may want to eat something, after you finished being sick.” A voice replies, making me look up to see it is large man wearing crimson leather coat and glasses, while indicating the food in special storage containers on the table.

“I don’t think…. I can stomach that much at the moment. Where am I?” I ask, while they twist their wrist with handcuffs just like mine on them and hear a faint clicking noise from mine, making me get up only stumble slightly as they go to place their hands to stop me from falling over.

Only to lower them, when they notice my glare at them. Going over to sink with mirror, I look at myself in it seeing how drained I look and lifting up the tank-top inspect the stab-wound done by that mysterious Alpha with the golden mask – seeing it has been stitched up, rather nicely thankfully and not sloppily – then running the tap, cup some water in my hands to splash my face as the large man comes over to me.

“My name is Deadman.” He says, holding out his hand only to understand immediately when I don’t bring my own up to shake it. “Ahhh…fear of being touched by others. My apologises.” Then lowering my tank-top back down, see the symbol on his leather coat.

“What does Bridges want with me?” I ask, making Deadman – as he was called – give a soft sigh, like he doesn’t really want to tell me, but he must for whoever’s sake and taking a deep breath begins to talk.

“I need you to deliver some morphine to the _Capital Knot Distribution Centre_ for the President. Just bear with me, when I mean _President_…. I really mean your _Beta Mother_ – Bridget – who has also asked to see you.”

“She’s not my…. _Beta Mother..”_ I hiss out at the large man, seeing his pained look at the words and moving away from the sink – after splashing my face – feel my arm grabbed by a gloved hand, causing me to slap it away fast, hissing with my fangs bared at him. “Don’t…. touch….me.”

“Apologises again, Sam.” Deadman says, stepping closer as I find myself moving out of the way until suddenly I find myself falling into the shower back against the smooth curved wall as he steps within and the doors slam shut, while he grabs my arm again making me try to wrench it free from his grasp.

“Sam, listen to me…. I really need to take a blood-test right now. Would please just this once bear my touch so I can get my task done?.”

“Fine. But…be quick about or else I’m kicking you out of the shower.” I reply, keeping my face turned away from Deadman, so he doesn’t see me reacting to the Blood-taker cuff – a device that took samples of a person’s blood to either determine they were Alpha; Beta or Omega along with anything that might affect them in the latter time of their life – and wince slightly at the pain of it locking around my wrist as it soon takes a sample of my blood.

“Do you hate your…_Beta Mother?_ Don’t answer that. It was stupid question.” Deadman says, while I shudder runs through me making him place a hand to the back of my forehead. “Your going to have…to have take a _Heat Suppressant pill,_ before you to this job.”

“What?!! Are you saying…. I’m in _Heat._ Bullshit, you’re not even an _Alpha_ and…” I look at him stunned by the information he has given me and can already feel slick starting to form as he takes the _Blood-taker cuff_ off finally.

“No, I’m not. But…. have you recently come into contact with _Alpha_? For example, two days before you woke up here in.” Deadman says, while everything comes flooding back to me immediately of what had happened once I returned from _The Beach._

_Fluttering my eyes open, I wince heavily still feeling the stab wound bleeding and quickly getting some bandages from small medical-pack attached to my Porter uniform, wrapping them tightly around the wound stauching the bleeding for now._

_The Womb-Pod holder with the little BB in it, I pick up cradling close to me as I look at what had been Central Knot City now turned into large crater with tall black strands writhing up into the air, connecting the scene to the other side._

_Knowing I have to get out of here and to Capital Knot City start to walk heavily, my breath coming in laboured gasps as the little one sensing my distress somehow taps the glass encasing it making me place a hand over the Womb-Pod holder just as reach the outskirts of the city in the far distance then collapse heavily, too weak to move as my vision fades in and out of focus._

* * *

_“I…..need the Medical Team that is still around not doing anything. Hurry.”_

_Voices muffled like their underwater reach my ears and light flashes over my eyes again and again, until finally double doors swing open then close again._

_People in crimson medical uniforms begin to move around me, while sharp pain travels through from the wound making me gasp shakily under the oxygen mask that covers my mouth, while a large man delicately stitches it back together with needle and thread._

_I try to keep my eyes open, but they must have slipped a sedative into my blood-stream because soon I feel my head loll to one side and sink into unconscious state._

* * *

“I…. rather not talk about it.” I reply, asking a question in return to Deadman. “Where’s the little one? I wish to see it.”

“Nurturing instincts already for something that isn’t even human like us.” He states, making me snarl at him and he quickly scrambles out the shower, leaving the doors open. Seeing him bring a handkerchief to wipe his forehead of sweat that has formed at the sametime a chiming noise indicates message coming in.

Deadman answers, while I bring my knees up placing my arms over them and leaning my head back against the smooth wall listen to him talking to someone over the intercom attached to the handcuffs around his wrist. I listen quietly.

_“He’s being stubborn at the moment. You might want to come down here and talk to him about it instead.”_

“_Sam Porter Bridges is stubborn sometimes. Did he tell you anything about the Central Knot incident that happened?”_

_“Nothing. He said he rather not talk about it.”_

There was no mistaking the gruff voice on the other side, even though I couldn’t see his face. There was no mistaking Die-Hardman and getting up out the shower head over to where my Porter uniform is than taking it out, begin to slip it back on. Deadman is still talking to Die-Hardman and overhear him saying “_BB-28 is being kepted in my private quarters on the second floor of the Capital Knot City Medical Area here. I run some tests to make sure it is well calibrated if anyone wants to use it.” _

Moving silently out of the sleeping quarters, leaving Deadman talking still begin to head down the dark corridor making sure there is no guards around to spot me and warn Deadman I had left than spotting a FIRE exit…._ Handy, even though outdated because of it not being used anymore……_then going over, push the door open as quietly as possible.

Closing it silently, I see a spiral staircase leading up and down, while there is map on the wall showing very conveniently where Deadman’s private quarters are finding myself smirking at the fact then begin to head up the flight of stairs to the second level.

* * *

Deadman’s Private Quarters are small luxury within, when I climb down the rope attached to the air-duct above my head – now out of decommission due to me wrecking it – seeing the little BB I had saved is in some kind of _Still-mother Incubator_ – a fake womb machine that was connected thanks to the chiral network to a Still-mother somewhere else – then unhooking the rope, wrap it up to place on the rope hook on my hip.

Going over, I go to reach out when a tutting noise makes me grumble heavily and turning my face see Deadman standing there wagging his finger back and forth as I give him a shrewd glare. The little one in the Womb-Pod, who had been fast asleep it seems wakes up with soft yawn creating orange bubbles due to the fluid within the Womb-Pod than spotting me, coos softly at me.

“You are sneaky. Using my time while I was talking with Die-Hardman to look for this little thing.” He says, making me snarl slightly at the word…._ Thing…._ feeling my protective instincts rising in me to care for this little one.

“It’s not a thing. Just don’t call…_Lou…._ that from now on. I do the job and any other one you throw at me as long as I get to take care of…. this little one.” I tell him, taking my glove off my right hand to place it on the Womb-Pod feeling…._ Lou…._ respond to me by swimming happily in his own wee world within the liquid until righting himself.

“Is this because…. you know as an _Omega _with both _DOOMS _and being a _Repatriate,_ you won’t be able to provide an _Alpha_ with what they want?” Deadman asks me, going over to the drinks decanter to pour himself a drink as he does so.

“Yes. I…. think it better if I don’t share my genes. It could have consequences if I did….” I say, not adding the last word…._ again…._and he pauses in pouring a drink, looking at me closely coming over to check on me.

“Sam, is it that painful? What if you find a good Alpha…who would accept you for who you are.” Deadman says, making me head over to the windows to look out the view of the landscape needing space away from the large man.

“Don’t…go there, Deadman. Please…. just don’t. I lost that chance, a long time ago and never will I let myself experience it again. I will accept caring for_…. Lou…”_ I say, pointing to the little one in the Womb-Pod. “…. because it is better option then signing my life away on the _Government Breeding Programme.” _

“I see. Then Bridges makes a contract with Sam Porter Bridges.” Deadman says, coming over to hand me the case with morphine for the President in it and taking it, look at…_.Lou_…who seems curious in what I’m going to do next.

* * *

With_…. Lou…._in the Womb-Pod holder now attached to the chest hooks on my chest as I travel in the circular evaluator to the front entrance, I take the attachment cord to plug it in. Immediately gasping shakily when we both connect at the sametime I feel myself starting to be dragged into deep tunnel within my _Mind _hearing…. a Pup or Kit mewling distantly.

_Is this Lou’s Memories?_

Then allow myself to be fully dragged into whatever it was.

* * *

_“This isn’t what we agreed on. You promised me, you would….do everything to save my child’s life and my Mate’s. You broke the promise you gave me, when I begged you….as I laid in the Hospital bed to save my child. Not do this.”_

_A tall man stands next to an Incubator as a person lays within it, sleeping or something as I can’t tell, while a woman wearing a lab-coat and a black mask is on the other side – an Alpha by her stature and bearing – wearing a dark blue suit, shirt unbuttoned slightly points to me, while I see them only in orange._

_Was I experiencing a Memory of Lou’s when he was a BB first starting off in his Womb-Pod holder?_

_“It was the only way. Had I not done what I did, you wouldn’t be here now alive.” The Masked woman hisses followed by the strange man scoffing heavily and making her come around to confront whoever they were._

_“You…still lie though. You hide your face behind a mask and expect me…to trust you. After what…. you…..did to me!!!!” The strange man shouts followed by the Masked Woman slapping them hard across the cheek and immediately pinning the side of their face against the Incubator keeping them pinned to it with her hand on their nape where a **Crest** shows slightly from underneath their shirt. It has been….** Scarred** though, meaning someone had tried to break the **Bond** the man shared probably with the person in the Incubator._

_The man tries to get free only for her to tighten her hand on it, making them gasp shakily hands scrambling for purchase as the Masked woman bends down to their ear to whisper words to them._

_“You…are mine, do you understand me?”_

_At first the strange man doesn’t answer her, and it is only when she grabs their hand bending back fingers at a painful angle they sob out. “Yes…. I’m your’s…. I’m your’s and only belong to you…Gahhhhh!!!”and crying out more, when she finally snaps some of their fingers then she releases them, stroking their nape where their Crest lays in sickly, possessive way before she leaves._

_The strange man starts to weep heavily, tears running down the side of their cheek as they keep their head turned to one side on the Incubator looking at the person lying within as I soon harshly jolted back into reality hearing their last words before I do so._

_“I’m…so sorry…. I’m so sorry….it had to happen this way. For the both of us.”_

* * *

The _Capital Knot Distribution Centre _is triangle shaped building, when I arrive at it still trying to compose myself after seeing such horrendous memory of…_Lou’s_….and heading down the ramp, find myself standing in front of the large door waiting as it soon rise upwards – after scanning me as now _Bridge Personnel_ – then head within, going over to the circular elevator where keeping the case of morphine my hands breathe in and out to calm my racing heart.

Bridget Strand – the female President of America and also, my _Beta Mother_ though not my actual _Birth Mother_ even though as a child I always asked her who was my real _Mother_ because I was being bullied at the school by the other children saying, “_You don’t have a mother….” _or “_Why your Mummy at the gate to pick you up then?” _then…._Lou_…hiccupping makes me look down at him.

Another hiccup followed by bubbles appearing, makes me bite my bottom lip to try and not to snigger at him because didn’t want to upset then he hiccups louder as I find myself laughing softly, making him look up at me grumpily.

“Apologises, _Lou_.” I say, making him open his mouth as little love-hearts float upwards and find myself kissing the top of the _Womb-Pod_ to convey I’m happy as well, while soon composing myself back into my normal everyday mode people saw me as.

Arriving onto the first floor, I step out of the elevator into the corridor, seeing Medical Porters going back and forth doing their duties, overhearing some talking about the President’s condition as they pass me, followed by looking around for someone to least hand the morphine to.

It is scent of an _Alpha,_ that makes me turn to see the face of _Die-Hardman_ – always wearing a mask, while note to myself it is just like the one the Masked Woman in _Lou’s…Memory_…. had worn – and he comes up to me, filling my nostrils with the scent which is much better than that _Alpha_ that wore a golden mask if I be frank about it.

“You brought the morphine?” Die-Hardman asks me, making me bring the case up to hand it to him and taking it off me he opens it to inspect the morphine lying within, while his masked gaze makes me really wish he stop looking at me like I was specimen under microscope.

“Good. Though it may just only ease her pain, I’m afraid. Her condition has begun to worsen, I’m afraid.” He continues, telling me by not saying that Bridget didn’t have long before her body went into the _Necrosis_ stage and indicates I should wash up before I meet her.

* * *

A heart-monitor steadily beeps, while life-support cables hooked to the machine and Bridget as she lays in the Isolation Ward: President Office in a hospital bed is dimly lit, so it doesn’t hurt her eyes I’m told by Deadman – who come over to check that I had delivered and also, keep an eye on…_Lou_…while I met with the President then walk over to the bed, seeing her eyes flutter open to look at who has appeared.

“Sam, I knew you would come back.” She says, reaching her hand out to me as I step away from the bed slightly, making her sigh softly at the fact I still avoided touch of people – Alpha; Beta or even another _Omega._

“I only came because you asked. Now what do you want?” I say, impatiently because literally I did not won’t to be in this place again with this woman – even though she had raised me as her own – and she presses a button to make the bed raise up.

“I need your help. I need…. you to help reconnect America again. Make sure…everyone sees the _Government Breeding Programme_ of the _UCA _will help us get back to the Population we were before all of the _Death Stranding_.” She replies, making me turn my face away at the _same old talk again line_ and glare at her for having the audacity to bring it back up to the surface again.

“Don’t…. Bridget. You think Beta’s or even some _Alpha’s _and _Omega’s_ who never signed up for the G.B.P will agree to joining the United Countries of America? Forget, America is gone due to what happened. There is no country for us, just what was left behind by the _Death Stranding.”_ I snarl out, needing just get everything I should said to her before I had left his place behind and disappeared of the face of the map.

“Sam…. don’t be a fool. If we don’t reconnect, everything as we know it will be destroyed…along with Amelie.” She says, lunging at me as I try to get her off me feeling myself falling backwards onto the floor with her life-support machine crashing to the ground as I see black ink starting to spread through the fabric of her Hospital gown.

Back against the wall, I watch from the corner of my eye as she hauls herself towards me and finally reaching me grabs my wrist with the handcuffs on them pressing the blue-band around then places her face close to mine, making me flinch heavily.

“Is my love for you that painful, Sam? I raised you as if you were my own, _Pup._ I love you, Sam.” She says, before giving a jolt like when a puppet has its strings cut whispering the words before her still body thumps to the floor. “_I’ll be waiting for you on The Beach.” _Then silence, feeling myself going weakly numb within myself, when I notice her hand outstretched to the photo of my Past regrets – the face of one person faded out due to the Time-fall I had been caught and had to shelter in cave, where met _Fragile._

Everything goes into slow-motion as Die-Hardman and Deadman rush in, followed by seeing the black man picking the still body up of Bridget at the sametime Medical stuff begin to appear as I pick the photo up, followed by slipping out of the room needing air all of sudden.

* * *

Now back at the Private sleeping Quarters in _Capital Knot,_ I find _Lou_….in the _Still-mother Incubator_ and going up check on him to see if he is alright as the little one calmly sleeps than satisfied with checking, begin to strip my gear off as walk to shower. Stepping within, I allow the doors to slip close giving me privacy and silence finally as I flick the switch feeling soon luke-warm water start to wash the grime; muck; dead skin and dust even of it keeping my hands brace against the wall for support.

I feel wrecked and drained of energy, just wishing Bridget hadn’t mentioned all that spouting-crap nonsense about _Reconnecting_ and even saying the whole of the human world would be destroyed along with Amelia – my adopted sister, who had been carrying out her Mother’s mission to the west of America, right up to the Pacific coast until suddenly she become trapped on _The Beach._

A chiming of message coming in, makes me grumble for whoever has decided to disturb my peace and let it go through. “_Sam, Deadman here. Oh, your!!!…. right I will wait until you finished your shower.”_ Seeing how I’m not going to get any privacy now, while I finish up my shower, then stepping out immediately cover myself with my hands as Deadman covers his eyes.

“What…. the heck, _Deadman!!!??”_ I snarl, seeing embarrassment flooding his cheeks, quickly snatching the large towel from his outstretched hand and quickly wrapping it around my waist tightly as he keeps his other hand over his eyes, while…_Lou_…has covered both his eyes already.

“Apologises, Sam. Are you decent?” He says, asking me as I sit down on the bed using another towel from the table to dry my hair and he lowers his hand to his side, while I wonder should I have a bite to eat.

“Now decent of a sorts. Don’t do it again.” I reply, reaching over to get one of the food storage containers from the table and opening it, begin to eat the egg-fried rice and drinking some of the water see out of the corner _Deadman_ placing a small container down on the table.

“_Heat Suppressant pills_ for you, Sam. Please take one for today.” He says, making me place the food container down after finishing eating the egg-fried rice and taking the pill – find myself inspecting it – then popping it into my mouth, swallow it down with the water.

Gagging at the taste slightly, I feel the _Heat_ within me start to disapiate until I feel relatively better, even though I hated using these pills. Deadman begins to tell me, that they – though mostly Die-Hardman – needed me to transport the body of the President to the Incinerator to the mountains to be burned.

I would have to by foot, because no vehicle could reach the mountainous region it was located in. I just hoped the area wasn’t crawling with masses of BT’s as I get ready, slipping my Porter uniform on and taking….._Lou _out of the _Still-mother Incubator_ then attach him to the holder on my chest.

* * *

Deadman is waiting for me near the front entrance, when I step off the elevator still going over the new memory of…_Lou’s_ of the same strange man again. This time, it was different and almost tender and yet, sad _Memory._

_“That’s it, Kurt. Waltz with me. Come on keep up.”_

_The strange man is dancing in the same room, waltzing softly until doing a spin which causes him to fall over and hear him grunting as he manages to drag himself to the special Incubator – where the person maybe called Kurt lays within – then looks up at Lou/Me smiling softly._

_“Sorry did I wake you up?” The strange man says, followed by tears starting to form in their eyes, continuing to talk. “It’s your Papa’s birthday today. It’s also our anniversary of when first met and the day…..I first conceived you.”_

_They say placing their hand to their abdomen, while they calmly get up and smiling weakly lean forwards to kiss the Womb-Pod gently pulling back as they stroke the glass with their hand followed by starting to weep heavily as I’m pulled back out of the Memory._

Coming out of the memory of it, I hear a trolley being wheeled up by _Die-Hardman_ to reveal Bridget’s body wrapped up in white-body bag as her words she a said to me echo in my head as the _Alpha_ begins to talk.

_“I need your help. I need…. you to help reconnect America again. Make sure…everyone sees the Government Breeding Programme of the UCA will help us get back to the Population we were before all of the Death Stranding”_

“Bridget had an ideal. And that was to reconnect the United Countries of America.”

_“Sam…. don’t be a fool. If we don’t reconnect, everything as we know it will be destroyed…along with Amelie.”_

“This is why no-one must know that the President has passed away.”

_“Is my love for you that painful, Sam? I raised you as if you were my own, Pup. I love you, Sam.”_

“She considered you as her _Pup_, Sam. Part of her family, even though your adopted.”

Looking at her body, I turn around to soon allow_ Die-Hardman _and _Deadman_ to attach it to the holder on my back clipping it in place until finally sorted. Neither of them says anything thankfully, while I head up the ramp to outside.

* * *

The mountainous region where the Incinerator facility is located is quiet for now, while I carry the wrapped-up body of Bridget over to the _Incinerator panel_ and lying her body down on it step backwards as it descends down – the doors closing followed by the flames filling the square box making it glow heavily.

A chiming noise indicates a message coming through the cuff-links, when suddenly the lights start to flicker heavily above me as thunder echoes around the area I’m in hearing _Deadman_ and _Die-Hardman_ trying to communicate with me, while I head to the glass windows seeing a heavy _Time-fall _has started.

My _Unblemished Crest_ begins to tingle heavily, while immediately a black-inked slams onto the glass window followed by the familiar growl of the _BT’s_ that have started to surround the place then take a step backwards as it starts to clamber upwards, followed by soon smashing it’s way in.

The wound on my leg has re-opened, allowing for droplets of blood to drip onto the floor as it starts to pads its way towards me. Only to hiss in anguish when it contacts with it – like before – and go around to avoid my blood, while my _Odradek _Sensor starts to falter making me look down at…. _Lou…_heavily seeing something is clearly wrong.

“Come on, Lou…. Come on, this isn’t the time at the moment….” I begin to say, only to realise suddenly and biting my bottom lip know it will be recorded by the cuff-links than say it. “It’s alright….._Mama_ has you…._ Mama_ is here for you.” Followed by soon the _Odradek_ whirling up as _Lou_, soon returns back to normal and starts to be in sync with me as I keep one hand rest on the _Womb-Pod_ to reassure I’m with him.

* * *

Keeping my hand over my mouth, even though it is very difficult to breathe with cutting off my oxygen supply, I keep as far as away from the _BT’s_ that started to wander about _Incinerator_ area hearing the snarls every-time they scent the air, while due to being connected to _Lou _can see their shadowy forms with the umbical cords attached to the other side.

Managing to reach a high-point, while seeing the _BT’s_ have moved on from searching for the quarry and uncovering my mouth begin to head back to _Capital Knot_ taking the same route I took to get to the Incinerator in the first place.

* * *

The mountainous region I’m walking in is quiet and peaceful, while no BT’s are in the vicinity than _Lou_…crying suddenly startles making me look down and finding a grassy patch sit down to unhook him then begin to rock the _Womb-Pod_ gently saying soothing words to calm him due to being frightened of course of the BT’s.

And who wouldn’t be. Smiling softly at him, I find myself throwing the _Womb-Pod_ up slightly to catch as this makes him giggle at me with little love-heart bubbles appearing and resting my forehead against the glass feel contempt even though he is not my…_Pup _then hands clapping slightly disturbs the peace I’m having with the little one.

The scent of _Lilly of the Valley;_ _Iron _and a third thing I still can’t identify makes me turn to see it the strange _Alpha _with the golden chirallim mask walking up to me, until finally squatting down in front of me.

“What’s this? Having a little “_me_” time are we with your BB.” The _Alpha_ says in a slight tone that sets me my teeth on edge, while I get up keeping…_Lou_…close to my chest when they get up, walking up to me to have a closer look at me.

“What do you want?” I ask them, making them suddenly grab the back of my nape where my _Unblemished Crest _is and squeezing hard to paralyse me as I feel my all body going numb, followed by them lowering me to the ground as they place the Womb-Pod with…_. Lou_….to one side.

I cannot move at all, only look upwards at them as they bring their free hand up to take of the golden mask revealing their face to me then immediately place it over the lower part of my face, sending immediately sharp pain shooting through me – like thorns wrapping around me and digging into my skin - causing me to give muffled cries and grunts of agony and pain under the mask.

Distantly I can hear…_Lou…_starting to wail heavily, making me try in vain to reach him – my nurturing and protective instincts rising in me – only for myself to be dragged back by the strange _Alpha,_ while they take the mask off the lower part of my face.

A gloved hand takes hold of my chin, followed by going to place their lips against mine and nearly feel my lips brush with theirs’s when conveniently my cufflinks chime with new message coming in, making them snarl slightly in annoyance their pleasure had been interrupted.

“Devil’s luck or something. I’m going to have up my ante next time we meet each-other.” The _Alpha _snarls in my ear, followed by licking my cheek as I flinch heavily at the sting it leaves behind on my skin followed by cracking noise as they finally disappear.

Leaving me alone with…_Lou_…..who I pick up to soothe, while answering the incoming call which turns out to from Deadman wondering where I am and what happened during the _Blackout _– where they lost the signal.

I tell him about the BT’s arriving at the site; having to avoid them using…_Lou_…and the Odradek sensor to ascertain where they were than start to head back to Capital Knot, where I decided to take rest as…Lou…. needed soothing after their encounter.

“_Well, at least your both alright. Die-Hardman was ready to send out a rescue team in case something happened to you and the BB.”_

“We’re fine. Nothing to be concerned about, Deadman. Just the both of us will need some rest when we get back.”

_“Understand, Sam. Get back soon. It looks like a storm is building up.”_

“Will do.”

* * *

_Deadman_ it seems was right about a storm was building up, while I see above the city the clouds have started to become an ever swirling mass along with strong winds that have started to pick up, while keeping…_Lou_…..close to my chest.

I keep on moving, keeping close to the buildings and nearly reach the _Capital Knot Centre_ seeing _Deadman_ with rope around his waist attached to hook on the wall within the Centre is waiting for me then just has his hands go to reach out for me, something immediately jerks me backwards like an invisible force or something.

I wrenched upwards into the swirling clouds hearing _Deadman _calling my name distantly, until sharp pain goes through me causing me to instantly black out, allowing the storm which now has me in its grasp to lead to who knows where.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

The echo of gunfire.

The screaming of dying or wounded men fill the air, while shouts of soldiers fighting fills the hostile, smoke-filled air as once and every-while flashes light the clouds of swirling and ever wreathing smoke, while in the abandoned Trenches a black lake has formed filling in a crater made from a bomb from a fighter plane.

Ripples suddenly begin to form on the lake, spreading outwards as strange figures in World War 1 soldier uniforms begin to rise from the surface and start to wade forwards through the muck at the sametime the tendrils attached to their skeletal bodies pull another figure up.

Both their hands hold the tendrils tightly, while they seem to sway with weakness of being dragged out of the liquid and immediately collapse onto their hands and knees as the skeletal soldiers surround to protect them.

Immediately they heave up heavily, vomiting tar-like substance into the liquid surrounding them at the sametime something that been clogging up their throat floats in front of them – a baby doll with nails embedded in the head as one eye immediately flickers open, followed by a strange screeching coming from it.

This makes the strange figure lift their head up, followed by getting up slowly tilting their head backwards as they sigh softly then fluttering their eyes open smirk heavily, while on their abdomen is strange cross-like mark.

* * *

** Sam Porter Bridge's P.O.V: **

_Lou_…wailing…followed by gunfire echoing around me, makes me weakly flutter my eyes open to reveal a blurry sight of a battlefield until it clears revealing where I am. Getting up, I place a hand to the Womb-Pod to soothe…. Lou…who is wailing heavily in distress at the noise all around the both of us.

“It’s alright, _Lou_…I’m here for you. Let’s see if we can find a way out of here.” I whisper, starting to run heavily at the sametime collecting my equipment that had gotten separated from when I had been lifted up by the storm.

Shadowy figures in soldier’s gear rush past like ghosts dissolving into nothingness, while I quickly make a dash for it and sliding down a slope into what turns out to be _Trenches, _while some areas are blocked by barb-wire or have been completely flooded by murky waters that are waist-deep and others destroyed by collapsing walls as I travel through the _Trenches Maze_ to try and find a way out.

It is just when I go through one of the many archways, sharp pain shoots through my head and my _Unblemished Crest_ tingles so heavily it makes me collapse to my knees.

_Lou_…. begins to wail again, while I feel myself pulled into another _Memory._

_The strange man is also an Omega is not in the room as I/Lou look around the room, where the Incubator with the person called Kurt is lying within is than the door opens as the strange man soon appears, stepping within quietly._

_They close the door behind them, followed by walking around the Incubator placing a hand on the surface of it as rainwater from the soaked hair plips onto the Incubator and runs down it, while they soon turn to look myself/Lou._

_Revealing the bruised face, split bottom lip and the hand-shaped bruises around their neck – like someone had being choking them – then smile weakly at myself/Lou._

_“It was raining today. When your older, I promise I’ll show you a place where will be safe. Me, you and…” _

_They say, only to tail off when muffled angry voices come from the corridor followed by tall shadow appearing behind the glass of the closed doors._

_“This…. can’t continue. You can see how it is affecting him…” _

“_It has to be done. It is important to the research that is being done. John, this could help everyone.”_

_“At what cost? Keeping him separated from his Pup and Mate, who lays in that Incubator due to what happened…..”_

_The conservation tails off as the two people move on, while the strange Omega wraps his arms around himself starting to slowly weep again with tears forming in his eyes to run down fine cheekbones. _

_“Excuse me, little one….it seems some rain got in my eyes.”_

Coming out of the _Memory_, feels like surfacing from being underwater for too long and hearing _Lou _crying I quickly place my hand to the _Womb-Pod_ soothing him softly wishing I could take him out of the thing he was within to hold closer to me – but know it isn’t possible.

Managing to get up, I breathe in and out to calm myself with the sense that I need to get out of whatever this place was and getting up find myself stumbling forwards slightly with Lou flicking his gaze up to me in the _Womb-Pod_ showing his concern for me

* * *


End file.
